Chapter 2: So, You Like My Daughter
A September Friday, 6:00 p.m.
Cole Turner was reading the newspaper when he heard the doorbell ring. He'd been checking stocks, as his job for the last several years was a money manager. Phoebe was a national columnist now, but if he hadn't found a way to make a living and support his family, he truly would've gone mad. Phoebe had told him he should be an accountant and his career had soared from there. He loved working numbers.
Folding the paper and setting it down, he ran a hand through his wavy, dark hair. He opened the door to reveal a 16-year-old boy with shaved red hair and blue eyes. The kid's face was acne-covered except where a red fu man chu mustache covered his upper lip and chin.
"You must be Adam, come in." Cole stepped back and threw a misplaced couch cushion back onto the couch.
"Yes, sir," the boy said, taking a seat on the far end of the couch.
"Tell me about yourself," Cole invited.
"Well, I, uh, I'm in 11th grade, same as Victoria, and uh, sir, I like her, a whole lot." Adam's voice cracked on the last word. He rubbed his legs with his hands, nervously.
Cole smiled, meaning to be welcoming, but knowing he probably appeared menacing, "What do your parents do?"
"My-my dad's a mechanic and Mom is a teacher at my school. Our school," the boy answered.
"I see. So, you like my daughter, do ya now?"
"Uh-huh."
"We think she's something else, Adam. Someone very special. She's her mother's world, and her daddy's little girl. You really don't want to hurt her, Adam."
"N-no, of course not." The boy wriggled more.
Just then, Victoria came scampering down the stairs. "Was that the doorbell, Daddy? I was finishing my makeup."
Cole stood and shot Adam a look and the boy stood up, too. Cole hugged Victoria, "Yes, Adam's here, darling. Now, where'd you say you were going, again?"
"To the movies. A bunch of us," Victoria stated too quickly for Cole's liking.
"Odd, he drove up alone."
Victoria hesitated for a second, exchanging looks with Adam. "Well, we have to go get everybody. I'm first stop."
Cole relaxed, a little. "Ah, okay. Go on, then."
Victoria scampered out the door, leaving it open for Adam. Cole grabbed the boy's arm, "Home by 9:00 would be good. 9:30 if you have to."
"But Mr. Halliwell--"
"That's Turner, actually," Cole got that a lot from Victoria's friends so the correction was automatic.
"Right, but, it's a Friday night."
"So it is. 9:30, then. I'll be waiting." Cole promised.
The boy gave him a sunken look, then headed out the door.
8:30 that evening:
"Phoebe, we need to talk. Where's Jason?" Cole had found his wife in the laundry room, rotating loads.
"Uh, he's in our room watching a DVD. What's wrong?"
"I think our daughter's lying to us."
"Then, why did you let her go out with Adam?"
"I've been doing this 'dad' thing for a long time, I know how kids are, especially girls, when you falsely accuse them of lying. I had to be sure."
Phoebe dropped a shirt back into the washer,"Okay, Cole, what do you know?"
"I didn't want to say anything right away, because Victoria's such a good kid… A-B student. . . so I didn't let the odd feeling about that boy worry me. I mean, I'm never gonna like all her boyfriends, if I like any of them. When it got dark, I realized it . . . "
"Cole, what?"
"That boy's a vampire. We've got a full moon tonight, too." Full moons were worse for werewolves, but for vampires, it tended to make them a bit more aggressive with their victims.
"So, why do you think Victoria's lying?"
"They were supposed to go to the movies with some other people, but I watched them exchange this look . . . I don't think there're other people with them." Cole knew Adam might not act out in a crowd, but alone; there would be no stopping him.
"Cole! Why didn't you say something to me before?"
"Phoebe, remember last year when I actually caught her kissing a boy and you warned me then I couldn't chain her to her bedpost? You told me I had to let what happens happen. Knowing that, I let them go, but vampires don't get a second chance."
"So why are we standing here, discussing this? Let's go, we have to save her!"
"No, you have to stay with Jason, I'll go. I thought you should know, before I left."
"I can call Leo to watch him. He's still my whitelighter."
"Don't bother them . . . I can neutralize the problem without breaking up your sister's family time."
Phoebe closed her eyes and nodded. "Be fast, Cole. And remember, Victoria knows about me, her cousins, and her brother, but she doesn't know about what you can do. She thinks you're just a human."
"She's about to learn some things tonight, then. I am not going to drive to find her. I can sense Adam from here and shimmer directly to him."
Phoebe gave him another nod. "Go. Jason and I'll be fine."
Moments later:
Cole found the pair in the middle of an abandoned cornfield, stargazing. He watched them from behind as they reclined on the hood of Adam's classic Corvette.
"I am so in love with you, Victoria. I could watch the stars with you, forever."
"I love you, too, Adam."
"Would you marry me? I mean, some day?"
"Adam, I don't turn 16 for two more weeks. You really want me to marry you?"
"Yes, I, I want you to be my bride." Adam leaned over to kiss Victoria.
"That'll be enough, Adam." Cole stepped forward.
Surprised, the boy looked up, showing long fangs. Cole picked up a large rock, which he transformed into a wooden stake.
"Daddy, why are you here?!" Victoria shrieked, then looked at her boyfriend, "Adam? What's going on?"
"Get away from her," Cole ordered.
"Gladly." Adam's eyes shone with hatred as he jumped off the hood and closed in on Cole.
"Victoria, get up. Run as fast as you can and don't look back!" Cole's yell was also a plea. He stood his ground, "I promise, I will explain it to you later."
Victoria slid off the hood of the car but did not run. Adam threw himself onto Cole, who fell backward, but not before he held out the stake, stabbing Adam in the chest. The teen turned into a long ball of flame and flared into nothing.
"Dad! Adam, noooo! Daddy, are you okay? What the Hell happened here?" Victoria was at her father's side in seconds.
"Let's go home. I'm fine. I'll explain to you there." Cole gave his daughter a quick hug.
At home:
"Oh, thank goodness!" Phoebe exclaimed on seeing her husband and daughter. "I was worried."
Victoria frowned, "You knew he was bad, too?"
"Oh, honey, not until your father came to talk to me about it. I was with Jason when Adam picked you up, remember?"
"But, Mom, you met Adam before. Touched him, and you never got a premonition."
"I don't, always. I might have tried to get one, but I don't want to affect your life that way. How would you feel if I tried to read all of your boyfriends? There was that Steve Gamuchi. HE was one I would've steered you clear of." Phoebe shook her head at the memory.
"Mom, that was last year. I knew that wasn't going to work . . . but he was fun while I had him."
"Victoria!" Cole and Phoebe said together.
"I'm sorry. What happened with Adam? It all happened so fast."
Cole began to explain, "He was a vampire. I heard what he was saying to you, about your being his bride. He probably meant it, but that would mean turning you into a vampire. I couldn't allow that."
"But, I thought you bound my powers so that I would be safe. Have a normal life. Why me?" Victoria probed.
Phoebe spoke up, "We did, but since your aunts and I still live in San Francisco, a lot of demons and other evil are still drawn here, trying to get to us. Adam probably didn't really know who you are, although you have my last name, he may have. It could have been chance."
"Once he had you alone, the outcome was inevitable," Cole added.
"I only thought demons and other bad guys could sense each other. How did you find me so fast, Daddy? I mean, I know you shimmered. Jason does it all the time."
Cole could not lie to his daughter. Did not want to. "As you know, you used to get premonitions, in dreams, the way your mother does. My father was human but my mother was a demon. That's how I can shimmer, and that's how I found you."
"Wyatt and Chris always told me shimmering was a demonic trait! I didn't really believe it. Not until now. So, what's going to happen to me? Am I part-evil?"
Cole realized, in another world, or even another family, that would sound comedic. This circumstance was painfully serious. He could almost taste what was coming next, "Since your powers are bound, nothing will happen."
"What if I want them back? It's not fair, I've never been allowed to go to Magic School, while all of my cousins have!"
Cole gave Phoebe a helpless look and was grateful when she took the lead.
"There's never been a precedent for a part-demon child attending Magic School. When I got my power, I was in my 20s. There was no Magic School we knew of. We had to wing it."
"But, I'm only a quarter 'demonic,' and it's not even fair to call me that. I hate . . . this. I didn't choose Dad to be half demon. Besides, it's not like he does bad stuff, anyway. Won't Aunt Paige and Aunt Piper understand?" Victoria pled to her mother.
Cole wanted to leave the room. His daughter's words hurt him. He'd sat through I-hate-you sessions that were worse than what she'd just said, as if he'd deliberately inflicted the demon heritage upon her. He never meant for her to feel this way, never wanted to hurt her as she was hurting. He stayed put in the chair he occupied, wanting to hear what Phoebe would say.
"Victoria, I accepted your father, as he was, years and years ago. He strives only to do good for everyone. I would like you to wait a year, until you're 17, to decide if you really want to have your powers. We'll find a way to cope with it and help you understand it from there. Okay?"
"But why, another year, knowing what I know now?"
"You'll almost be graduated from school. Your senior year will be quite a distraction with your power, I can assure you. I made my way through college with mine."
"I guess. It's just going to be a long year. And, what about Adam? What about his parents?"
Feeling more secure now, Cole piped in, "Uncle Darrell will help us with that, I'm sure. He's captain of his department, now."
"Oh," Victoria looked down for a moment, then to her mother, "I've had a scary night. I think I'll get ready for bed, now, then read for a while in my room."
"Okay." Phoebe and Cole watched Victoria leave the room. Neither parent could think of anything to say to the other. Cole picked up the paper again, staring but not reading, and Phoebe left the room to check on the children.
Later that evening:
Cole was first to bed, as usual. He sat in the dark, flipping through the cable channels aimlessly. There was a knock on the partly-closed bedroom door.
"Come in."
Victoria entered the room and stood next to him, "Dad, I'm sorry about what I said before. I know you don't think I'm bad, or that I do bad things. I love you."
"I know you didn't mean it. And, I love you, too." He leaned over to hug her.
"So, I'm not in trouble for telling you we were at the movies?"
Cole looked at her and quirked an eyebrow, "Do you really want me to punish you on top of what you went through today?"
She shook her head, no.
"I didn't think so. Get out of here," he teased.
"Night, Dad."
"Goodnight, pumpkin."
Phoebe had been in the hallway, Cole surmised, as she joined him in bed only moments later. As she snuggled against him she asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yea."
"That was nice of her, to apologize."
"I wasn't expecting it, but I'm glad she understands our family dynamic a little better."
"And we're not punishing her for lying?"
"Phoebe, everyone lies. Everyone has reasons for keeping secrets. Even we lie to our children. Can we expect utter honesty from them? What would that do? The way I see it, they'll just find sneakier ways of lying."
"So, lying without limits?"
"Of course there are limits. How about a case-by-case basis?" Cole negotiated.
"Okay. I love you, Cole Turner."
"And I love you, Phoebe Halliwell, queen of my heart." He kissed the top of her head and clicked off the TV.
The End